


A Single Letter

by landofhorses



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, M/M, We Need more happy endings for this pairing, kinda has a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 01:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17132321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/landofhorses/pseuds/landofhorses
Summary: With shaky hands Albus slowly unfolded the letter, a quick scan of its contents confirmed his gut-wrenching suspicions of who had written it, and for the first time in ages Albus Dumbledore felt the urge to cry. The letter read:Dear Albus,I am sorry.~ G.G





	A Single Letter

It was half-past nine when he received the letter, darkness had long since fallen upon the castle. Light tapping on the only window in his office was enough to rouse Albus from the stack of first year essays on his desk. While Albus loved teaching his students, something he had been allowed to do up until recently, grading their work was a tedious task that often kept him up well into the early morning hours. It wasn’t, however, as if getting a full night’s rest was likely to come to him easy anyway, even without his work getting in the way. His sleep was always restless, had been for a while, since that one seemingly long summer in his youth. 

The cuffs around his wrists seemed to be heavier then they had any right being, Albus sighed as he pushed his chair out from under his desk. He got up, making his way to the window to grab the fancy looking letter from the sickly owl holding it, he very much doubted that he would be getting good news at this time of night. Albus shooed off the ugly bird quickly, he walked back to his desk holding the letter in his hand making sure to reignite the lone candle on his desk wandlessly, as it had gone out when he had opened the window. After rearranging the stacks of books and parchment on his desk, Albus placed the envelope on the now clear area of his desk, and looked at it for a little while. He knew whatever was inside it was urgent, but he hesitated to open it. Albus despised this whole ordeal, this conflict with the only person that truly understood him, still understands him. Angrily Albus opens the letter, what he finds inside makes him freeze, all the warmth and anger he had felt completely draining away.

On the neatly folded, starkly white, piece of parchment stood the symbol of the shared dream between him and his enemy, that of the deathly hallows. It was what he and Gellert had begun all their letters with during that summer, it was to make the recipient was immediately aware of who the sender was, as if either of the two boys were sending letters to anybody else during that time period. They only sent letters to each other when Albus couldn’t find a way to leave the house, when his responsibilities forced him to stay, responsibilities that he should have payed much better attention to. 

With shaky hands Albus slowly unfolded the letter, a quick scan of its contents confirmed his gut-wrenching suspicions of who had written it, and for the first time in ages Albus Dumbledore felt the urge to cry. The letter read:

_ Dear Albus, _

_ I am sorry.  _

_ ~ G.G. _

Three simple insignificant words whose meaning would be not notable, but  **_together_ ** the words meant the world to Albus. His hands unwillingly balled into fists, he craved to break something, anything, he wanted to cry, he wanted to see Gellert. Albus knew that wouldn’t be a good idea, he knew that he was being lied to, he was being manipulated again. Albus hadn’t received a letter from Gellert since the death of his sister, why now all of a sudden? He knew that this had to be a ploy of some kind but he couldn’t stop the thoughts rushing through his mind though, he felt a fledgling spark of hope in his chest, what if Gellert meant the words in the letter? What if he truly missed Albus? Albus had been so lonely without Gellert, nobody will and has understood Albus as Gellert does.

Albus misses a killer and he knows he shouldn’t. He had spent many a night staring at the other half of his soul in the mirror he found in one of Hogwarts many hidden rooms. Had even taken to sleeping in their on his worse days. He had later found out that it was called the mirror of Erised according to the book he had read about Hogwarts a while back, It’s purpose the text had stated, was to show the viewer their hearts desire. Albus’s heart desired Gellert, a fact that he can’t deny. Gellert’s face appearing in the mirror is a testament of Albus’s selfish nature, if he was good as he pretended to be it would be Arianna’s happy, smiling, and alive face, or his family together, or a million other things, but not Gellert. In truth he was beginning to feel the weight of living under a false pretense bearing down on him, and he was so tired. 

Albus was too tired to lie to himself on this chilly winter evening, he uncaged his wildest thoughts and let them run wild. Maybe if Albus were to join him, Gellert’s rain of unnecessary violence would end. Albus could convince him, he thought. He knew that the germans ideas still appeal to him on a fundamental level, had continued to do so even after Gellert had fled the fight, after he had become a teacher. A second muggle world war was on the horizon the signs for which were obvious enough that Albus didn’t need to be a seer to connect the dots, this was something that was to surly affect wizards as well, much the same as the first one had done. He cared for each one of his students and for their wellbeing, and the violence of the first war had brought much grieve to his pupils. He could prevent that from happening once again if he were to join Gellert’s cause, he  _ knew _ the could together, as together they were strong enough to surmount any challenges that came their way. The candle on Albus’s desk flickered, it had reached the end of it’s wick. He knew what he had to do.

With a wave of his hand Albus collected his hat a coat, and with another flick he called that satchel that he carried to classes to him. After slipping on both his hat and coat, he began to shove all his important belongings into his bag. He would not be coming back, at least for a while, he hoped that perhaps the once everything was done and settled he might be able to return to teaching. He pulled his wand out of his pocket after putting on his gloves and gave it a little twirl, the cuffs around his wrists fell to the ground. With a tip of his hat Albus left for Gellert’s Paris rally before aurours could show up and arrest him, he was done pretending. 

  
  
  


Albus’s contacts had mentioned the rally earlier in the day, as soon as Gellert had called for his followers to meet. When it was first brought up Albus had not planned on attending the rally, though some of his contacts had begged him to, but that was before he had received the letter, the one that he is currently clutching in his coat pocket as if it were the key to his survival. He was so close to Gellert now he could feel the tug of the magic pact that they had made when they were younger. His magic was seeking out Gellert’s and it was intoxicating. With a few seconds to get a grip on himself he walked into the Lestrange tomb. 

He found his way to a coliseum like area, most spots were already filled with Gellert’s loyal supporters. Albus stood himself on the outside of the circle, where he was fully hidden in the shadows but still at a good vantage point to see the proceedings. He was steeling himself to the possibility this a trap for him, that the letter had been a lie. Albus already knew that aurours would be showing up soon, trying to break up the rally against his best advice. Newt and his friends will probably make their way up here as well, proceeding with the mission that Albus sent him on as if nothing has changed. He hopes that his presence will be enough to surprise Gellert into letting them flee, he has no wish to see his former students die at the hands of his once lover.    

After a couple of minutes of waiting Gellert finally appeared, and while the rowdy crowd cheered Albus stood absolutely motionless. His eyes drank in the first sight of Gellert that have seen in over a decade, they cataloged the changes to the dark lord’s appearance that were made since their summer spent together in Gordric’s Hollow. While his hair is much shorter than what Albus remembers, it still remains that same bright blonde colour that reminded him of the sun on hot summer days for the way it reflected light. Gellert’s eyes, which had always been a sore point for him, are still beautifully unique. He walks around the stage with purpose, every move he makes is purposefully calculated to convince the audience of his view point, making it so that his words and movements can not be separated from each other or the meaning would be lost. Albus had missed hearing him talk the most, Gellert had a way of stringing sentences and words together that made you want to listen to him even if you knew what he was saying was false. Seeing him perform on stage made Albus realize that he was born to do so, he had the audience hanging on to his every sentence including Albus himself. 

Something silver on a chain attached to Gellert’s waistcoat caught Albus eye as it reflected the light of the stage, he nearly gasped in surprise when he got a good look at it. It was the pendant that was created when they completed their pact, just sitting on Gellert’s chest out in the open where anybody could reach out and take it. It was not hidden away like Albus assumed it would be, the spark of hope in his chest grew into a full sized flame, Gellert displayed his only defense against Albus’s retribution on him fully knowing the risks because he didn’t want to part with it. The tug in his chest grew so strong then that he was sure that Gellert had felt it too.  

Gellert was a seer, something that Albus had already know, the spent long hours during their time together speaking and interpreting his visions. It was obvious however that his followers had not know this as the vision of the second world war had scared and surprised the audience, but had only confirmed Dumbledore’s suspensions. After the theatrics of the showing of his vision, Gellert’s speech was nearly over, and that is when Albus sensed the slow moving approach of the aurours, they surround the theater in a circle. 

Gellert smiled wide as he beckoned the aurours closer to him egging on the crowd of his followers but not specifically asking any of them to attack, Albus knew immediately that something was about to go horribly wrong. What happened next was quick and Albus was not near enough to the action to be sure of what exactly happened, but a women had been killed and the rest of the dark lord’s follower’s had fled. With a flamboyant and very theatrical gesture, Gellert drew a circle of protection around himself, he was preparing for a fight. Albus watched as one after another of Gellert’s closest followers jump through the blue flames, each surviving and apperating to where Albus assumed Gellert’s base of operation was. All except one, survived going through the flames, something that Albus suspects that Gellert did on purpose, they will be able to speak on that later if all goes well. 

Before any real fighting can begin, Albus removes himself from the shadows shocking both former students and Gellert alike. 

“Hello Gellert.” he says much more confident then he currently feels, and begins to slowly make his way down the steps towards the circle of blue protective fire. He takes a glance at the surprised look on his former student’s faces, they are worried they have no idea about what is going on. Albus stops once he reaches the outer edge of the circle.  

“Albus, I missed you” Gellert says so softly that Albus can barely catch it and perhaps he was not meant to catch it, he continues louder. “You can’t attack me, I sure you are still very aware of the agreement that we made.” Albus was sure that Gellert had intended for that to come out in a more aggressively mocking tone than it had, his sudden appearance had knocked the dark lord off kilter. Albus gave Gellert a brief, but real, smile. 

“I got your letter.” whispered Dumbledore not wanting their frozen onlookers to hear the reason for his being here. Suddenly going cold, he stares hard into Gellert’s mismatched eyes “And I need to know if you meant it before we go any further.”

“Further?” Gellert asks, barely believing what he is hearing. 

“Just answer the question.” The hard look never leaves Albus’s eyes.

“I have never lied to you Albus, I wouldn’t do you the disservice.” Albus relaxes by a fraction, he really wants to believe what Gellert is saying, his heart hurts with wanting and hope. 

“Truly?”

“Truly.” He wasn’t lying, Albus could tell. With the truth secured, he could almost burst with the happiness he felt. This could work again, and he knew that it could. 

“I would like to make a few requests if you would be open to receiving them.” Albus took a quick glance over his shoulder, his former students were horrified with the realization of what was happening. Gellert waved his had and silenced all protests before they could begin. “First and foremost I would like you to let all the people here go unharmed.” Gellert looked like he wanted to protest but a quick look kept him quiet. “On the topic of violence, I want no more unnecessary physical conflicts, if we are going to be in this together I want force to be used when necessary, understood?”

“Yes” Gellert can not believe what is happening. 

“Let’s go then, the other things on my list can be spoken about later.” Albus grabs Gellert’s now outstretched hand amidst silent protests from his once comrades. He walks through the flames with ease, not a single part of his body gets burned. Albus is not surprised, but Gellert seems to be.  

“While my faith in the cause may have changed since time has passed, my faith in you has never changed my dear.” With that Albus leans in and Gellert meets him halfway, the kiss is hungry and violent, but far too short in Albus’s Opinion. There will be more time to make up for what they lost, forever if everything goes to plan. Finally the apparate away together, leaving behind several shocked and scared faces. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I really appreciate it.


End file.
